Forget emotional baggage — we’re hauling around spare parts. It turns out that we don’t need all 78 of our organs to get through life, which comes in handy when surgeons have to start making cuts………literally. Just ask Louise Altese-Isidori, who had seven organs removed after doctors discovered that ovarian cancer had spread throughout her body. Now she’s in remission and living a mostly normal life. It’s a testament to the human body’s astonishing capacity for adaptation and modern medicine’s ingenious interventions. There are actually parts of your body that you can live without, including two that can be swapped for a bag.
- 1. Appendix: Think of it as the intestine’s dusty attic, largely useless in modern life. Removing it has no long-term effects and patients don’t need medication.
- 2. Gallbladder: This tiny sac stores bile, which helps break down fats during digestion. After removal, the liver simply drips bile directly into the small intestine. Patients go on to lead a normal life and don’t need medication.
- 3. Kidney: These bean-shaped organs filter the blood and remove waste. We have two for a reason, but one is sufficient for most people.
- 4. Stomach: The body’s “food blender” stores food before breaking it down for digestion. If partially or completely removed for weight loss or because of disease, the food goes directly into the small intestine. The drawback is that lifelong supplements are needed, but life is manageable.
- 5. Small Bowel: This organ’s primary job is to further digest food and absorb nutrients. Removing up to two-thirds of it causes minimal issues. Patients have to learn to balance nutrition and hydration, but life can be sustained.
- 6. Colon: The colon is the final stop in the digestive system before food is excreted as stool. Without it, patients are given a colostomy where stool exits the body and is collected in an external bag. Patients can go on to lead a nearly normal life.
- 7. Esophagus: This muscular tube connects the throat to the stomach, carrying food and liquids for digestion. Removal means using part of the stomach or intestine to create a new pathway. Life is possible, but patients have to watch their diet carefully and manage digestive problems.
- 8. Urinary Bladder: This organ is essentially your “urine reservoir.” If it’s partially removed, your bladder won’t hold as much, so you may need to urinate more often. If it’s completely removed, doctors build an internal pouch to store urine instead. This is a lifelong change that requires meticulous care, but with proper management, patients can lead full and active lives.
- 9. Lung: Losing a lung means your breathing capacity is permanently reduced. The body adapts by making the remaining lung work harder, but your physical limitations will change. Intense physical activity can become more challenging, leading to lifelong shortness of breath with exertion.
